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3 Sheets-Sheet 1.

0.1%. WIGKES Die for Forming Buttons:

No. 226,140 Patehted Mar. 30, 1880.

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0. R. WIOKES. Die for Forming Buttons.

3 Sheets-Sheet 2.

No.2,26,l40

Patented Mar. 30, 1880.

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G. R. WIGKES., Die for Forming Buttons.

' Patented Mar. 30,1880.

b w M if UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES R. WICKES, OF AUBURN, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO JOHN H.

' WOODRUFF, OF SAME PLACE.

DIE FOR FORMING BUTTONS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 226,140, dated March 30, 1880,

Application filed April 24, 1878.

To all whom itmay concern:

Be it known that I, CHAS. It. WIQKEs, of Auburn, in the county of Cayuga and State of New York, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in Dies for Forming But tons; and. I do hereby declare that -the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, making a part of this -specification, in which with the female die-plate; and Fig. 5 is a like view of the same with said plates reversed, the dotted lines showing the male die-plate raised above the pin-plate. so: as to withdraw the eye-pins from its dies. Letters of like name and kind refer to like parts in each of the figures.

In the manufacture of buttons from plastic material it has heretofore been customary to partially or entirely drill the eye-holes after the button was-otherwise completed; but by such method said holes have been left moreor less rough and liable to abrade or cut the thread employed for securing them in place.

To obviate this difficulty is the design of my invention, which consists, principally, in an improved method of forming the eyes of molded buttons by means of pins which are passed through each of the dies while the same contain material in a plastic state, and are permitted to remain in position until said material has become hard, substantially as and for the purpose hereinafter specified.

,It consists, further, in combining with dies or molds for forming buttons from plastic material pins for forming eye -holes, each of which may be caused to pass through an opening in each of said dies and to pierce the plastic material confined between the same,

substantially as and for the purpose hereinafter shown.

It consists, finally, in the construction and combination of the dies or molds, pin-plate, and intermediate or releasing plate, substantially as and for the purpose hereinafter set forth.

In the annexed drawings, A represents a rectangular plate having any desired dimensions, upon the upper side of which is provided a number of elevated blocks, a, that have vertical sides, and at or within their upper ends are each provided with a'recess, a, that corresponds to the lower side of abutton having any desired size or form. Within said die or mold a, is provided a number of round openings, M, which pass entirely through the same and correspond in size and number to the eyes or thread-openings of the button to be formed within said die.

At suitable points at or near the edges of the plate A are provided a number of vertical dowel-pins, A, which extend upward a distance equal to about three times the thickness of said plate, and over said pins is fitted a second plate, B, that corresponds in horizontal size and shape to the like features of said plate A, and is provided with openings 1), for thepassage of said pins, and other openings, 1), for the passage of the die-blocksa, whereby said plate B is enabled to pass downward to and rest upon said plate A. Within its upper face said plate B has a groove, b which extends nearly to the openings 1) in one direction, and in the opposite direction extends entirely across said plate, and has a depth equal to about one-half the thickness of the latter.

Immediately above. the plate B is a third plate, C, which corresponds therewith in horizontal dimensions, and is provided with openings 0, which correspond in size and position to the dowel-pins A, and permit said plate to be passed over said pins and to rest upon said plate B.

At points corresponding to the dies a, within the lower face of the plate C, are provided molds or male dies 0, each of which conforms to the upper face or side of the proposed button, and is provided with round openings 0 that correspond in size and relative position to and coincide with the openings a within said dies a. Said dies 0 are recessed into said plate, and the die-blocks a have such height as to cause the latter to extend into said recesses for about one-sixteenth of an inch.

Above the plate 0 is a fourth plate, D, which is similar in horizontal size and shape, and has openings (1, for the reception of the dowel-pins A, whereby said plate D may be passed over the latter and caused to rest upon the said plate 0. At points coinciding with the openings c of the plate 0 pins (1 are secured with in the plate D, and project downward from its lower face through said openings and into the openings a of the female dies to.

The parts thus constructed are used as follows, viz: The plates 0 and D are removed from above the plates A and B, and upon the latter is placed a sheet of the material employed, said material being first rendered'plastic by heat. The plate 0 is next placed over the dowel-pins A, and pressed downward toward said plate B, and finally the plate D is placed in position in a like manner, after which said parts are subjected to heavy pressure until the contiguous faces of the said plates are caused to bear upon each other, and such pressure is maintained until, by the application of cold water, said parts and the plastic material placed between have been reduced to their normal temperature.

The operation of the dies 0. and c is to cut from the sheet of plastic material a disk which corresponds thereto in horizontal dimensions, which disk or blank is then pressed between the faces of said dies and caused to conform to the same and to closely fill the space between said faces. The surplus material of said sheet of plastic substance is contained within the groove b after said dies have been closed together.

The pins d, in passing through the blank button contained within the dies, form openings that correspond in size and shape to said pins, and when the button is completed constitut e the eyes or thread-openings of the same.

In order that the dies may be separated after the button has been completed the followingdescribed mechanism is employed:

E and E represent two uprights, which are arranged on vertical parallel. lines, and at their lower ends are connected together in such manner as to insure strength and stability.

At the upper end, within the inner face of each upright E, is provided a horizontal groove, 0, which corresponds to and receives a tongue, a or (1 one of which is formed upon each side edge of each plate A and D, the distance bet-ween said uprights being such as to enable either of said plates to be easily slid into or removed from said grooves.

Moving vertically within suitable guides between or within the uprights E is a platform, 1 which has a plain horizontal upper face, and within the same is provided with a number of pins, 1', that extend vertically upward and pass through corresponding openlngs a or d, that are provided in the plates A and D, said pins having a length equal to about three times the thickness of either plate.

The platform F is raised by means of a cam, G, that is attached to and moved by a shaft, 9, which is journaled within suitable bearings below said platform, and in such upward motion its pins 1" pass through the plate that is confined within the grooves c, and impinge upon the lower side of the next plate, and if said movement is continued said latter plate will be carried upward away from said lower plate.

After the buttons have been formed by pressure, as before described, the dies are placed within the separating-frame with the plate A underneath and confined within the grooves 0, after which an upward movement of the platform F will carry up the plates B, (l, and D, causing the dies at and c to separate, leaving the buttons within the latter.

The plate A is now removed from the grooves c, and the plate D, having connected therewith the die-plate O, is placed in its place, and by an upward movement of the platform F said plate 0 is raised from contact with said plate D and the pins 61 withdrawn from the buttons.

By means of this method of forming the eyes there are produced round smooth openings in which there are no imperfections, so that when such button is secured upon garmen ts there is nothing in or around its eye to abrade or out said thread.

Having thus fully set forth the nature and merits of my invention, what I claim as new is- 1. An improved method of forming the eyes of molded buttons by means of pins which are passedthrough each of the dies while the same contain material in a plastic state, and are permitted to remain in position until said material has become hard, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

2. In combination with dies or molds for forming buttons from plastic material, pins for forming eye-holes, each of which maybe caused to pass through an opening in each of said dies and to pierce the plastic material confined between the same, substantially as and for the purpose shown.

3. As a means for forming buttons from plastic material, the plate A, provided with the die-blocks a, dies at, having eye-openings a dowel-pins A, and openings at", the intermediate plate, B, having pin-openings I), dieblock openings 11, and groove b the plate 0, provided with the pin-openings c, dies 0, and openings 0 and the plate D, having pinopenings d and d and pins 01, said parts being combined to operate in the manner and for the purpose substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I hereunto set myhand this 6th day of July, A. D. 1877.

CHAS. R. WIOKES.

Witnesses:

FRANK It. RATHBUN, E. D. WOODRUFF. 

